Synthesis and styrene copolymerization of novel methoxy and halogen ring-trisubstituted isobutyl phenylcyanoacrylates

Novel methoxy and halogen ring-trisubstituted isobutyl phenylcyanoacrylates, RPhCH=C(CN)CO2CH2CH(CH3)2 , where R is 2,3,4-trimethoxy, 2,4,5-trimethoxy, 2,4,6-trimethoxy, 3,4,5-trimethoxy, 4-benzyloxy-3,5-dimethyl, 2-chloro-3,4-dimetoxy, 3-chloro-4,5-dimetoxy, 5-chloro-2,3-dimetoxy were synthesized by the piperidine catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation of ring-trisubstituted benzaldehydes and isobutyl cyanoacetate and characterized by CHN analysis, IR, 1H and 13C NMR. The acrylates were copolymerized with styrene in solution with radical initiation (ABCN) at 70C. The compositions of the copolymers were calculated from nitrogen analysis